


His Butler, Faithful

by GWinchester



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Blood, Death, F/M, Murder Mystery, Romance, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-25
Updated: 2015-09-27
Packaged: 2018-04-23 06:29:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4866614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GWinchester/pseuds/GWinchester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ciel Phantomhive hires April Phillips, a bookstore clerk, to aid him in a case that involves murders mirroring gruesome fairy tales. While she proves to be a respectable ally of the Queen's watchdog, Sebastian suspects there may be more to her than her human limitations.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter I

The cold winds swept through London that day, littering the streets with snow dust and discarded trash- some of which stuck to Ciel Phantomhive’s boot as he strolled through that morning. A lanky man wearing an amused expression flanked his right, while a girlish boy darting his eyes this way and that flanked his left.  
Ciel, as usual, was looking rather sour, though today even more so. “Remind me again why we brought Finny along with us?” he demanded of the dark man, better known as Sebastian Michaelis: the Phantomhive family’s new butler.  
“Why young master,” Sebastian said, “Finny insisted on trimming the hedges if we had left him at home. We couldn’t have that when the Marchioness of Midford is visiting today with her daughter.”  
“Do not remind me,” Ciel growled, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. The last time Aunt Francis visited his estate, Three of his servants managed to destroy the three places in which Sebastian had planned to store her and her daughter- his fiancée- for entertainment, thus forcing Ciel to partake in a challenge to hunting. He lost against dear Auntie, naturally.  
Sebastian retrieved his pocket watch and clucked at the time. “We have six hours and thirty minutes until her arrival. We must hurry, for I still must prepare dinner, set the table, clean up the garden, and tidy the parlor.”  
“I don’t care about how many chores you have, Sebastian,” Ciel barked. “I was sent to investigate the strange killings that had been taking place on the outskirts of London. They take top priority.”  
“Yes, young master,” the butler replied, bowing slightly. “You are the Queen’s watchdog, after all.”  
“Hmpf,” was Ciel’s response as they continued onward. Indeed, these killings are strange. The first began with a woman who was poisoned. But, thanks to Sebastian’s observations, there was something odd about the way she was killed: firstly, she had been placed in a glass case with flowers tucked into her closed fists, as if the killer had prepared for her funeral. Secondly, a half-eaten apple was found at her lodging, bearing traces of the poison that killed her. The next killing was a little more gruesome. It was a little girl who’d been torn to shreds, a red cloak draped over her body. The latest killing was what drove Ciel to his current destination: a woman was found bled to death due to her lack of hands.  
Ciel found the place and opened the door, a small bell tinkling as it closed behind him and his company. An old man with kind brown eyes was perched behind a large mahogany desk. This was framed by a myriad of bookshelves stacked neatly throughout the small shop. If Ciel heightened his hearing, he could hear footsteps flitting about above them.  
“Good morning!” the old man chirped, his thick mustache bristling with his breath. “Welcome to Bullfinch Books!”  
“I’ve come looking for a-” Ciel began, when Finny cried out in his feminine voice:  
“Oh my! What lovely pictures!” He scurried to a section of the shop and snatched a colorful book from the middle shelf.  
“Retrieve him,” the young lord sighed.  
“Of course, young master,” Sebastian obliged. He appeared over Finny in an instant, smiling brightly at him whilst taking him by the collar. “Come along,” he said, dragging Finny back to their master.  
“As I was saying,” Ciel continued, “I came here looking for fairy tales.”

“Fairy Tales, you say? Where is your mother?” the old man inquired, leaning over his desk.  
“Pay no mind to my mother,” Ciel replied through gritted teeth. “I am the one who is here, not she. If you will not help me, then-” he whipped his head up to his butler. “Sebastian, I command you, bring me those stories!”  
“Certainly, young master,” Sebastian said, his expression failing to falter from amusement. The tails on his coat swished around him as he turned and began searching through the shelves.  
“I’ll look too!” Finny yelped excitedly, running down the aisles the opposite side of Sebastian. The butler rolled his eyes as he scanned the shelves with his super human sight. As he moved on to the next aisle, he happened upon a young lady knelt by the lower shelf, smiling to herself as she flipped a page.  
Her plain black skirts were in ruffles around her on the floor, the creases suggesting she had been bending down all day. Her auburn hair was pulled into one thick braid trailing down her left shoulder, and she sported long bangs that reached the tops of her round spectacles. But this young woman wasn’t what stopped Sebastian in his tracks and widen his cold eyes in adoration. It was the small, black kitten purring sleepily in the folds of her skirts. He would’ve gone unnoticed by a normal human, but nothing- especially an adorable cat- escaped Sebastian’s notice.  
“Oh my,” he said to himself. “I simply must pet you.”  
“Hmm?” The girl looked up from her book at this strange fellow who was mumbling to himself. As the reflection of the gaslight shifted, Sebastian could see eyes the color of freshly grown grass peering at him. But she didn’t look curious as her question would suggest. Instead, she looked rather bored, and she avoided looking into his eyes.  
“What is her name?” Sebastian asked, forgetting for the moment his duty.  
“Amber,” she said, her voice extremely soft and barely above a whisper. Sebastian knelt down and placed his gloved hand over Amber’s head, scratching her behind the ears.  
“What a beautiful specimen,” Sebastian commented. “And you.” His head swiveled to face the girl’s. “Judging from your accent, I’d say you’re from overseas.”  
She nodded. “Yes, I’m from America.”  
Sebastian grinned at her devilishly, which didn’t do much to unnerve her at all, as it did others. “And what’s your name?”  
“April Phillips,” she answered. “And I have the book you are looking for.”  
“Hmm?” The butler was taken aback for a moment, but soon realized she must’ve overheard Ciel’s request. “Ah, so you do.”  
“I was reading it just now.” She held up a red and black cover with gold letters: Grimm’s Fairy Tales. “It’s the only copy we have that’s translated into english.”  
Sebastian narrowed his eyes. “And you are going to simply give it to me?”  
April laughed a bit and shook her head. “You have to purchase it, of course. Or borrow it.”  
“Oh, you work here,” he said.  
“Yes,” she said. “I was restocking the shelves.”  
“So, shouldn’t you be doing that instead of sitting here and reading?”  
April blushed and shook her head. “Pardon me, sir. I was only checking for marred pages.”  
Sebastian smiled brightly and stood up, bowing and holding out his hand. “Oh, don’t be covering for yourself now. I will not reveal your secret to your boss.”  
April raised her own hand, letting it hover in the air in hesitation, before laying it in Sebastian’s and allowing him to help her upright. Amber mewed and jumped out of her lap, scampering away into the furthermost corners of the store. She was rather tall for a lady, he noted, as the top of her forehead reached his eyes. She was rather plain, as well. Clad in a white blouse and black skirt tied at the waist, the only dazzling thing about her were her eyes- which were covered with glass that seemed to reflect all sorts of light. Sebastian thought this job at the bookstore was perfect for her look.  
“These are only Grimm’s Fairy Tales,” he said. “Any more?”  
“Certainly,” she said. “We have a whole assortment of fairy tales right here on this shelf.” She trailed a slender finger over all the volumes, its tip coming up dusty. “No one ever looks at them,” she sighed. “Demon books, they say. The only fairy tales they purchase are for children who are in dire need of discipline.”  
“Many children do,” Sebastian murmured, casting his eyes to his young master still stationed at the front door.  
“Hmm, but scaring them into obedience is no way to discipline,” said the young lady. “Take any you like. I’m sure your master has the money.”  
“Yes,” said the butler. “I thank you, Miss Phillips, for your assistance.” He kissed her hand and bowed his head, taking every volume of fairy tales on the shelf and returning to his master’s side.  
“Mister Sebastian already found them?” Finny cried, frowning at the expansive stack in the butler’s arms. “I found this!” He held up a copy of Oliver Twist.  
“That is not a fairy tale, Finny,” Sebastian sighed, following Ciel as he made his way to the clerk.  
“Will that be all?” the old man asked.  
“Yes,” was Ciel’s answer.  
After paying the last shilling, Sebastian checked his pocket watch again and scowled. “We are behind schedule now. I was hoping to get home in time to start dinner.”  
“That was your own fault,” Ciel snapped, allowing his butler to open the door for him. “You took too long to find the books.”  
“Hmm,” was all Sebastian could say as he peered into the shop once more, admiring the black beauty as she scampered across the floorboards. “At least this time the Marchioness will have at least the garden to admire whilst I clean the parlor.”  
“Honestly, that’s all you care about, isn’t it? Making sure everything is in order,” said the young lord.  
“Well, young master,” Sebastian chuckled. “That would be what I most care about.”

“Mister Sebastian, you came home!” Mey-Rin greeted enthusiastically, flailing her arms. “The tea set in the dining hall has-”  
Sebastian sighed and held up his hand to shut her up. “I will tend to the broken tea set as soon as I can. For now, just relax, Mey-Rin.”  
The clumsy maid nodded profusely, apologizing again and again as she left the foyer. Finny whistled and skipped toward the garden. “Excuse me, Finny,” Sebastian called. “You were out with us all morning. Why don’t you relax with Mey-Rin?”  
“Awww, Mister Sebastian, you’re so nice!” Finny crooned, following his colleague into the servants’ corridor.  
As Sebastian helped Ciel out of his coat, he began thinking up many ways in which to kill Baldo if he ruined their dinner plans again with that blasted blow torch.  
“Sebastian, I want sweets,” Ciel demanded as they ascended the staircase toward his study.  
“You will spoil your dinner if I oblige, young master,” the butler replied.  
“I want chocolate cake.”  
Sebastian shook his head. “I’m afraid I can not do that for you. If the young master denies his dinner while the Marchioness and his fiancée are with him, he would be rude.”  
Ciel scowled while sitting in his desk chair, propping his legs up and folding his arms. “I will be with you in a moment, young master,” said Sebastian. “I will be preparing dinner and fixing Mey-Rin’s mess.”  
“Fine,” the young man sighed.  
Sebastian turned and stared dreamily up at the ceiling, wondering when the next time would be till he saw that beautiful Amber.


	2. Chapter II

“Good evening, grandfather!” Fredrick called as his mother ushered him out of the store. He scowled at April before the door shut.  
Wallace smiled hollowly at April, tidying the space on his desk. April sighed and tapped his wrist. “Let me get that, Mister Bullfinch. You go to bed now. I’ll clean the shop.”  
“You are a godsend,” her boss chuckled, taking her shoulder and giving it a good shake- his version of affection. April gave him a small smile, nodding him a good night. “And prepare some tea in the morning?” Wallace asked before shuffling up the stairs, either to start his drinking for the night or to sleep. April hoped it was the latter.  
She responded, “yes, of course,” and proceeded with her late-night duties with Amber perched on her shoulder. That strange man hadn’t left her mind at all that day. His eyes… they looked so cold. He gave her the chills.  
“I’m sorry I let him touch you, darling,” she said, turning her head into Amber’s. The kitty mewed in response. “Oh, so you didn’t mind then?”  
Amber pounced off of April’s shoulder and landed on Wallace’s desk. Her fur bristled as she shook off invisible dust. The cat looked up at her master with big amber eyes. April smiled and shook her head. “It isn’t bed time yet, little one. I still need to clean.” She took the broom from the corner and began sweeping the floorboards, gazing into nothing for a good few moments before it hit her:  
“Is that little boy trying to solve those murders?” she wondered aloud.  
“Why is it your concern?”  
April suppressed a gasp and turned around, spotting that man from earlier sitting in the middle of the floor, holding Amber as he scratched her behind the ears.  
“You,” she said. “What are you doing here? The shop is closed.”  
“I had no work to do, and I wanted to see this adorable cat again.” He turned his apathetic gaze on her and smirked. “I didn’t think a lady like yourself would be up so late.”  
April turned and looked at the lock on the door. It was bolted shut. “How did you get in here?” she demanded.  
The butler didn’t answer, only kept his expression on her.  
“Are you faring all aright with those books?” she asked, when it dawned on her that it would be near impossible to get this man to leave.  
“The young master hasn’t begun reading yet,” he said, standing up with Amber still in his arms.  
“Then I will warn you now. Some of those books are in Turkish, Welsh, and Russian,” she said. “Sebastian, is it? That’s what I heard your master address you as earlier.”  
Sebastian bowed slightly, putting his right hand over the middle of his chest. “That is the name young master gave me when he hired me, yes.”  
“Good luck in your reading,” was all she could say.  
Sebastian looked into her eyes, a hint of curiosity flashing across his face. “Thank you, Miss Phillips.”

Ciel cried out in anger, throwing the last book from the stack across the room. Sebastian, who’d come in at that exact moment, ducked his head to the side as the volume smashed into the doorframe behind him. “This afternoon’s tea is a leaf imported from Japan, grown only for the finest people of the highest caste,” he said nonchalantly, continuing to push the cart that held the tea cup and kettle.  
“It was bad enough Elizabeth turned my manor into a fun fair yesterday,” the boy growled, ignoring his butler, “but with this… I can’t make any connections! The killings aren’t in chronological order with the publication of the stories. Only two are from the same authors. The last one is from a small collection of folklore- which, I might add, is mostly in a language I can not understand!”  
Sebastian sighed and smiled at his lord. “Maybe I could decipher it? The young lady at the shop warned me some of these tales are in different languages.”  
“When did she say that? When was there a young woman at the shop?” Ciel asked, narrowing his eye at his butler.  
“Just last night,” said Sebastian. “I left the manor temporarily to see a kitten I met while we were visiting.”  
“Honestly,” Ciel grumbled, resting his head against his fist and leaning his elbow on the desk. “Your love of those ridiculous creatures is quite shameful.”  
Sebastian grinned while bowing low. “My apologies, young lord.”  
“Leave me be,” the young master barked. “We will figure this out later, once I’ve had time to rest.”  
“Of course, young master.”  
“Sebastian?”  
The butler stopped in his tracks and turned to face Ciel. “Yes, my lord?”  
Ciel hesitated for a moment. “You have the rest of the afternoon off. If you’ve already begun preparing dinner, then if you so wish, do visit that shop again.”  
Sebastian smirked. “And what would you like me to ask the young lady there?”  
The boy frowned and rolled his eye. “Hire her as our maid. If she was able to read the books in a different language, think of what else she knows. But do not let on that we are trying to solve this case, understand?”  
Sebastian bowed. “Certainly, young master. But, I should inform you, she already suspects you are solving this case.”  
“Hmm, good,” said Ciel. “That means she is intelligent. We could use her.”  
“Ah, another pawn then.”  
“Yes, until she proves to be knight-worthy, at the very least.”


	3. Chapter III

“Excuse me?” the shop owner exclaimed, slamming his fist on the table. “She’s been with me since last year! She helped me, and I helped her!”  
Sebastian continued staring at the man until he calmed down a tad. “Are you finished with your blubbering?”  
“Why do you want her as your maid?” Mr. Bullfinch seethed. “You only met her yesterday!”  
“She could be of great service,” said Sebastian.  
“If you want her because of her beauty… I will not let you lay one grubby finger on her!”  
Sebastian laughed to himself, thinking back to the extremely plain girl he met the previous day. “I assure you, it wouldn’t be for her physical appearance.”  
“Now you’re saying she’s ugly?” the old man growled.  
“Sebastian?” The two men turned to watch April as she descended the staircase with a cart of books. Her glasses hid her eyes, which did well to conceal her expression. Although, Sebastian guessed it was of boredom as it was yesterday. “What’s going on? Why are you yelling, Mr. Bullfinch? It’s bad for your health.”  
“I’ve come to inquire Mr. Bullfinch for your service as a Phantomhive maid,” said Sebastian, bowing slightly.  
April cocked her head at him. “Me? A maid? Why?”  
“Because the young lord believes you could be competent,” said Sebastian, instantly thinking of the useless help back at the Phantomhive estate.  
“Is there a library?” April asked.  
“What are you saying?” Mr. Bullfinch gasped.  
Sebastian grinned. “Yes, of course. You could be in it as much as you like in your free time.”  
“How much ‘help’ would I be of to you?”  
“You’d be of wonderful service, miss.”  
Through the butler and girl’s exchange, Mr. Bullfinch was growing paler. “This can’t be happening!” he cried out.  
“Don’t you worry, Mr. Bullfinch,” said April. “You will find someone in which to take my place.”  
“Why are you taking this job? You have one with me!” he pleaded.  
Sebastian bowed his head at the man. “We will take good care of her, sir.”  
April turned and went back upstairs, leaving Sebastian looking after her with a devilish grin. He already suspected she guessed what her services would go beyond, and realized that must be why she took the position.  
“If you take advantage of her, I will kill you,” Mr. Bullfinch growled.  
“If I were to take advantage of her, you would not be able to lay a finger on me,” Sebastian challenged, studying the man with a cool gaze. “But that is one enormous ‘if.’”

 

April walked with her arm linked through Sebastian’s. He was leading her to one of the Phantomhive carriages, which would take her to her new home. The butler had taken the liberty of carrying her luggage, but she had a suspicion it was because Amber was tucked in the basket she’d tied to the handle of her suitcase.  
Today she wore a dismal gray day dress which mirrored the London sky. A gray frock coat was draped over her, and she made sure to wear her warmest boots and gloves. She touched the bonnet on her head, making sure it was secure, then trailed her hand down her usual braid.  
“Because we have hired you as head maid,” said Sebastian, “your accommodations in the servants’ quarters will be a bit better than those of the other help.”  
“Thank you, Mister Sebastian,” she said softly. “But I must say this now, before you get the wrong idea about me.”  
“Hmm?”  
“I do not trust you.” She looked up at him, but his expression remained impassive.  
“That is fine, Miss Phillips,” he said, his mouth still pulled in that devilish grin.  
“You do not trust me?”  
The two stopped, and Sebastian allowed the driver to put the luggage in the back, where Amber mewed and jumped into April’s arms. As soon as he helped her into the carriage and shut the door behind him, Sebastian sat down across from her and narrowed his eyes. “No, I suppose I do not trust you either,” he agreed.  
She examined his face. “It is because I barely know you, and your appearance does not give me any reassurance. You have the face of a most untrustworthy, unfaithful man. And it is because of that smile you seem to wear so often that I do not wish to ever trust you.”  
Sebastian, unfazed by her statement, nodded. “And I do not trust you because of your expression either. Surely a woman such as yourself would have a better time showing her emotions. Yet every time I see you, you look uncaring and apathetic.”  
“Then we are on equal grounds concerning our feelings for each other?” she said, folding her hands in her lap.  
“I don’t know about that,” he chuckled. “For even though I do not trust you, I can’t help but admire you slightly.”  
April looked away from him and out of the carriage window. “Hmm, I suppose we are not on equal grounds then.”

 

Grell Sutcliff sat upon the rooftop, gazing down at the man he desired climb into the carriage after that woman. “If only I, myself, was female,” he clucked, stroking his long red hair. “I have glasses like she does. Our hair colors are not much different- in fact, mine is far more vibrant than hers- yet what does my Sebastian darling see in her that he doesn’t see in me?” He pouted and laid his “scythe” (which was really just a chainsaw) slackly next to him.  
He pondered when the next time he would see his lover again (though, in Grell’s case, the feelings were unrequited. Sebastian didn’t much care for his existence). “Well,” the Reaper said to himself, “I believe in Romeo & Juliet Romeo was engaged when he met Juliet. Love knows no boundaries! He may be with this woman now, but that doesn’t mean he does not love me!” Grell sighed to himself. “He looks so beautiful in red.”  
A high-pitched scream broke out through the night, startling Grell from his reverie. “Oh,” he giggled, “that must be the next victim on my list.” The Reaper’s list appeared in his hand, showing the next soul he was supposed to reap. “Ah, another little girl,” he clucked. “What a horrible age at which to die. You don’t get to experience all the fine rewards of being a woman, like marrying for example.”  
He stood up and shook out his scythe, grinning to himself. “I mustn’t dally now. I am on probation, after all.” With that, he became nothing but a shadow in the night as he made his way to Ciel’s newest stress regarding the Fairy Tale Murder case.

Meanwhile, London slept on, oblivious.


End file.
